Women's Bantabaa aspiration is always to tell a story that has never been told and bring a story to public that are always waving the flag of freedom yet standby silently with the concerning situation of the people, their narratives, their perspectives, their understanding of the world around them, without feeling that they are constantly defending their religious and cultural identity.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Under the auspices of GAMCOTRAP, hundreds of women’s rights activists in The Gambia on Monday 6 January observed the International Day on Zero Tolerance on FGM.The commemoration was characterised by a procession as rights activists, including ex-circumcisers-turned activists marched through the streets of Kairaba Avenue, The Gambia’s business hub. They held up banners with messages, which among others, call for a law against the fading, yet deep-seated widespread cultural practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Officially declared by late Mrs. Stella Obasanjo, a former First Lady of Nigeria, February 6, is set aside by a UN resolution as International Day on Zero Tolerance to FGM to remind as well as renew efforts towards eradicating FGM. The international theme for this year’s commemoration is: “From Malabo to New York, Support the resolution of the United Nations General Assembly banning FGM worldwide.” However, GAMCOTRAP, a leading Gambian human rights NGO advocating against harmful traditional practices has however localised the theme.“From Kartong to Koina: Calling for a Law against FGM,” the activists held up banners with this message, renewing their calls for Gambian authorities, who allegedly blocked a number of legislations against FGM, to criminalise the practice across the length and breath of the country. Dr Isatou Touray, executive director of GAMCOTRAP, said through years of rigorous sensitisation, hundreds of circumcisers from over 564 communities in The Gambia have voluntarily abandoned the practice. For Dr Touray, who was speaking at the KMC Hall where a conference was held following the procession, the massive dropping of the knife should be accompanied by a legislation in order to prevent girls and women from the practice which has been scientifically proven to be inimical to the health and wellbeing of women and girls.Also speaking at the event, Pamela White, US ambassador to The Gambia, said the practice which involves the removal of part, or all, of the female genitalia has left many women depressed.She added that about 100-200 million girls/women have undergone the practice, incurring severe pain, shock and bleeding.“It is recognised as a violation against women’s rights and it is a torture against girls/women,” ambassador White said. Fatou Kinteh of UNFPA, said FGM is a global problem which requires immediate solutions to safe millions of girls who face the risk of FGM.“In a world that has reached seven billion, the health challenges are enormous and 1000 women die daily from complications (including circumcision),” said Mrs KintehMeanwhile, this year’s commemoration was funded by the European Union/Non-State Actors.

A former parliamentarian disowned by his ruling APRC party following discovery of his involvement in the trafficking of illicit drugs was Friday sentenced to a ten-year jail term, alongside his accomplice, Demba Baldeh, an ex military personnel. Dawda Manneh, a former National Assembly member for provincial-Nianija constituency and Mr Baldeh, a friend to him, were nabbed with over 9 kilograms of cannabis, a widely used illicit drug in a Central River region village of Sololi in 2008.The former lawmaker and former soldier were jointly charged on two counts - possession of illicit drugs for the purpose of trafficking and conspiracy – but both denied the ownership of the drugs found in Mr Manneh’s car. Mr Manneh had denied knowledge of the drugs in his vehicle, pointing accusing finger at Mr Baldeh. But the former soldier refused to be left holding the bag, telling the court that his lawmaker friend owns the illicit drugs.

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Binta A Bah is a young Gambian journalists/blogger who is excited, on the sustainability reporting front which she took as massive a headway as a career. She is the publisher of women’s Bantabaa, an online blog which focuses on human rights, particularly women’s right, press freedom and freedom of expression. She started the journalism trade with The Daily News in 2009 while pursuing a one year certificate course in journalism at Insight Training Center. She hold a diploma in journalism. At The Daily News, she rose through the ranks to become a senior judicial affairs correspondent. She has a vast experience of covering high profile cases including treason trials. She run the ‘Musoolula Bantabaa’ on the Daily News, a weekly column that focuses on women’s affairs. In 2011, she was awarded The Daily News Journalist of the year. She now works with the Standard Newspaper as an associate editor following the closure of The Daily News by state authorities.